Brown bag seminars are held on Tuesdays, from 12:00–1:15 pm, in the WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room at the University of Arizona (350 N. Campbell Ave.)
El Niño 2015-16: Godzilla or Mothra?
Date: September 15, 2015
Presenter: Michael A. Crimmins, PhD, Associate Professor & Extension Specialist — Climate Science, Department of Soil, Water, & Environmental Science
An El Niño has been brewing in the tropical Pacific for well over 18 months now and has just recently gained strength. It is expected to persist as a rare, strong event through the upcoming winter and spring seasons. Past strong events have brought unusually wet conditions to much of the Southwest and the forecast for Arizona for this winter includes a strong chance of above-average precipitation. What will actually happen across Arizona this winter? This presentation will discuss the basics of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, the hydroclimate associated with past strong events, and what the forecasts look like for Arizona through next spring.
Navajo Solar Desalination Demonstration Project
Date: September 22, 2015
Presenter: Ardeth Barnhart, Director, UA Renewable Energy Network
Water scarcity and the impaired quality of many water resources have challenged development in the Southwest, and arid regions globally, throughout history. This is particularly true for small communities in rural areas, including many tribal lands, where the economic base and technological expertise are not sufficient to develop marginal water sources and to implement conventional water distribution and treatment options. Treatment of impaired water resources, such as naturally brackish groundwater, with renewable energy based advanced water treatment technology could greatly improve water quality and quantity and decrease this water constraint on economic growth and public health.
The Navajo Nation (Nation) consists of a distributed population and development centers in remote regions of a federally recognized Indian reservation that is larger than many states in the eastern United States. Approximately 35% of the population lives without access to the electric grid and public water systems… [MORE…]